Thames Standoff Successfully Concluded

29 July 2008

A man who threatened to douse Police with acid was arrested following a standoff with armed Police in Thames early this morning.

Waikato District Operations Manager, Inspector John Kelly, said Thames staff had found the man, in breach of his bail, on Monument Rd shortly before 1am.

"They have gone to arrest him, a struggle has developed and OC spray was used but to no avail.

"The man has then secured himself in his house bus threatening to throw acid on Police if they approached.

"Because the man is well known to us, has a history of mental health issues and was believed to have access to firearms, a cordon was set up and the Waikato Armed Offenders Squad called in.

Liaising with mental health workers Police negotiators tried to get the 30-year-old man to give himself up but to no avail.

"When negotiations failed CS gas was fired into the bus in order to coerce the man out, succumbing to the effects of the gas the man did indeed come out and was arrested," said Mr Kelly.

"A search of the house bus is being carried out at present and we can confirm some acid and a number of knives have been discovered," he said.

The man is currently still being interviewed by Police.

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